Frigid chill awaits Jaguars fans in Pittsburgh

Jaguars fans following their team to Pittsburgh would be wise to bundle up.

Really, really bundle up.

The National Weather Service forecasts a game-day high temperature of 17 degrees for Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff against the Steelers at Heinz Field.

The only colder games in Jaguars history, as recorded in the Pro Football Reference database, were Jan. 3, 2010 (16 degrees in Cleveland), Dec. 19, 2004 (12 degrees in Green Bay) and Dec. 17, 2000 (9 degrees in Cincinnati).

The low temperature when fans wake up Sunday morning is expected to be even more frigid: 5 degrees.

For some perspective, that would surpass the coldest temperature ever recorded in Jacksonville, the 7 degree reading on the morning of Jan. 21, 1985.

That cold snap caused major disruptions throughout Northeast Florida, as reported in Times-Union stories from the time. St. Augustine and Lake City had to shut down their water systems for hours, five area school districts closed because air brakes froze on school buses and the city spent 41 consecutive hours below freezing.

The Times-Union reported the deep freeze even knocked out cable service to around 1,000 customers in Ortega on the evening of Jan. 20 when a too-cold cable contracted and pulled out of its connection. Cable was out from about 5:30 to 9 p.m., including most of Super Bowl XIX between Dan Marino’s Miami Dolphins — then Florida’s flagship sports team — and Joe Montana’s San Francisco 49ers.

But it could be worse for Jaguars fans making the trip to Pittsburgh. At least it isn’t expected to be snowing on game day. The wintry precipitation is forecast to push clear of the Steelers’ home by Saturday morning — and into New England before the Patriots’ game with Tennessee Saturday evening.

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